Wool cleaning machine



R. L. BROWN ET AL WOOL CLEANING MACHINE} Filed Feb. 26, 1934 Patented Apr. 7, 1936 stares W HQE WOOL CLEANING MACHINE California Application February 26, 1934, Serial No. 713,062

8 Claims.

This invention is a novel machine for separating and cleaning wool and other fibres and materials, and is particularly adapted for use in con nection with the process of cleaning wool described in Patent No. 1,894,154, dated January 10, 1933.

The common duster or cleaning machine has a fixed cylindrical screen having an inlet and an outlet for the stock; and a rotary beater within the screen having peripheral studs or pins; and fixed or dead pins are attached to the screen and cooperate with the pins on the rotary beater. These dusters are usually of the batch type, wherein the charge of stock to be cleaned is retained for a definite fixed time, and then discharged. We have found that in using such dusters in the aforesaid process, the wool tends to knot or roll even though great care is exercised to maintain proper clearances between the pins of the rotary beater and screen, and also that the dead pins cause much breakage of the wool fibres.

We have found that by providing one or more throw-out pockets or recesses in the screen chamber, and eliminating dead pins, knotting or rolling of the wool fibres is practically obviated; and that the fibres may be retained in the screen chamber for many revolutions of the beater.

The primary object of our invention is to provide a duster having one or more throw-out pockets or recesses into which the stock may be thrown by the beater as it revolves; and impacted against a wall of the pocket and thereby momentarily arrested, the extraneous foreign matters in the stock being loosened by the impact against the plates; the stock returning from the pocket in a free and unconfined state into the screening chamber; thus the beater pins will repeatedly strike the stock and open up aggregated fibres and produce maximum cleaning effect Without rolling or knotting the fibres. And by omitting the dead pins less breakage of fibres is caused.

A further object of the invention is to provide air conduits exterior to the screen chamber for removing the foreign matters which pass through the screens; the direction of the air current in the conduits being such that there will be no appreciable suction which would tend to draw stock through the screen wire.

In place of the air conduit under the lower screen there may be a chamber in which the foreign matter is collected after passing through the screen. The foreign matter may then be removed from this chamber by mechanical means, such as a scraper conveyor or screw conveyor or a com- (Cl. l985) bination of both, or by a combination of a mechanical conveyor and air suction.

Another object is to provide a hollow discharge door for the duster having a screen section on its inner face forming part of the screen area, and said door directing any screenings through the door screen into the adjacent air conduit or the chamber provided for the discharge of screenings.

A further object is to provide means for simultaneously adjusting the projection of the beater pins, whereby the clearance between the ends of the pins and the screen can be regulated, while the beater is operating.

Other minor objects of the invention will be hereinafter set forth.

The accompanying drawings illustrate practical embodiments of the invention and we will explain same with reference thereto and summarize in the claims the novel features of construction, and novel combinations of parts, for which protection is desired.

In said drawings:-

Fig. 1 is a vertical section through one of our novel dusting machines.

Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view of the means for projecting and retracting the beater pins.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional View, similar to Fig. 1, of a modified form of duster.

As shown the duster casing has a top I, a front wall 2, a rear wall 3, and end walls 4 suitably connected together. Rotatab-ly mounted in the easing is a beater comprising a cylinder 5 having end plates 51) mounted upon a horizontal shaft 6 journaled in suitable bearing bracket 6a: (Fig. 2) on the end Walls 4. Within cylinder 5 are spaced spiders l fixed on shaft 6 and carrying a plurality of channel members 53 supporting the cylinder 5. Projecting radially from the periphery of cylinder 5 are a plurality of pins 9 preferably mounted in the channel members 8.

Mounted in the casing below the beater is an arcuate screen section i l extending from the feed inlet opening 2a in the upper portion of the casing and curving downwardly under the beater and extending to the outlet opening at the opposite side of the beater; said screen being spaced from the periphery of cylinder 5 suiiiciently to clear the pins 9.

Above the beater 5 is an arcuate screen section ll extending upwardly from the outlet opening, and over the top of the beater. The upper end of screen section ll extends tangentially upwardly or horizontally as at Ila.

Below the upper end of extension lia of screen I! is a plate 25. This plate is preferably hinged to Ha, at 25a, and is adjustable. Plate 25 extends practically to the upper edge of the feed opening in the casing; such feed opening being substantially the space between the lower end of plate 25 and the upper end of screen M. At the lower end of screen ll is a plate 22. If desired plate 22 might be a screen forming part of or attached to screen ll. The outlet or discharge opening is between the rear end of screen l4 and the lower end of plate 22. This outlet opening is closable by a door 23 hereinafter referred to.

The annular space between the periphery of the cylinder 5 and the screens l4, l1 etc. forms a screening chamber in which the fibres are confined during the beating process. In order to prevent knotting or rolling of the fibres we provide a throw-out pocket (or pockets) in the screening chamber. As shown in Figs. 1 and 3 a throw out pocket A is formed between the plate 25 and part I la which is contiguous to the screen I1; and as the beater rotates the fibres are picked up by the pins 9 and thrown tangentially into such pocket.

The impact of the fibre stock against the plate 25 loosens dirt and foreign matter in the stock, and also results in a threshing and opening action for the stock, and provides a means for momentarily stopping the stock which subsequently falls back into the path of the pins 9 in a free and unconfined state, the pins 9 striking the stock returned in their path with high velocity, thereby insuring thorough beating of the stock to loosen the dirt, congealed particles of grease, and extraneous foreign matters. The impact plate 25 in the throw-out pocket may be adjusted to an angularity either greater or equal to or less than 90 with respect to a plane tangent to upper periphery of the cylinder 5 which will give maximum cleaning without rolling or knotting the stock. The adjustment of plate 25 is effected by means of slotted brackets 26 fastened to plate 25 adjacent the end walls 4, and engaging bolts 26a attached to the end walls 4.

The discharge door 23 is hinged as at 23a, to the rear end of lower screen I4, and when the door is closed (as in full lines in Fig. 1) the fibres will be retained in the screen chamber. When door 23 is open (as shown in dotted lines in Fig. l) the batch of fibres will be discharged. The gate 23 is shown as of inverted U-shape in cross-section, and its inner wall is perforated to form a screen to give increased screening area to the duster, while outer wall 231) of the door will direct the dirt passing through its inner wall into the lower air conduit !5 or any suitable collecting chamber. The door 23 is preferably automatically operated as explained in our divisional application filed January 17, 1936, Serial No. 59,634; and a resilient member 24 may be provided to cushion the door 23 when lowered to open position.

The stock is fed into the inlet opening 2a of the casing in any suitable way. Preferably we use a feed belt 2'3, running over the guide pulley 21a driven as hereinafter explained. In some cases a charging hopper 28 may be used as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1 and the cleaning machine fed by some suitable batching device 53. The front plate 28a of such hopper can be removed when the intermittently moving feed belt 2'! is used. By either means the stock is introduced through the casing immediately following the throw-out pocket A, and is acted upon by the rotor pins 9 while the latter are unencumbered with fibres, thus effecting a pronounced opening of the newly fed stock before it comes into contact With the screens (M, 23 and I2). As previously stated, preferably no fixed or dead pins are used in the screen chamber we find their omission results in much less breakage of the fibres.

The rotor pins 9 are preferably adjustable in length to vary the clearance between the ends of the pins and the duster screens to suit fibres of different characteristics. As shown the pins 9 are preferably mounted in aligned perforations in the upper and lower flanges of the channel members 8 (see Fig. 2), and each pin has a laterally projecting stud 9a slidably engaging an inclined cam slot Hid in a movable bar I El slidably mounted in the channel member 8, and by shifting bar l longitudinally all the pins 9 carried by its related channel member 8 will be simultaneously moved inwardly or outwardly.

Each bar i is connected with a member Ha carried by a collar I! (Fig. 2) slidably mounted on shaft 6, and extending through an opening 4a in the adjacent end wall 4. Said collar 4 i has an annular groove Hb in its periphery engaged by one end of a lever I2 pivoted on a bracket l2a mounted on the end wall 4. The upper end of lever I2 is fastened to a bracket i3 (mounted on the end wall 4 adjacent lever H!) by a bolt [2b to hold lever i2 and all the bars 18 in adjusted position. By shifting lever l2, all the pins 9 can be simultaneously moved radially of the beater; and said lever may be shifted to adjust pins 9 while the beater is revolving.

Below screen I4 is an air conduit l5 having an inlet lfia at the front of the casing below the batch inlet 2a. The outer wall of this conduit is formed by a plate i6 disposed substantially parallel with screen !4, but its rear end extends below the door and portion ltd, together with a short inner section 3619, forms the outlet of the air conduit [5 through which the screenings are discharged. Any suitable suction means (not shown) may be connected with outlet ifib to draw air through the conduit [5, the air passing therethrough in the direction indicated by arrows 5x parallel with screen l4, without causing any appreciable suction through the screen [4.

Plate [5 may be omitted and a mechanical conveyor may be placed under screen M so that the foreign matter which has passed through the screen may be removed mechanically instead of by air stream. This mechanical conveyor may convey the foreign matter to an air stream or to another mechanical conveyor to carry the material away from the cleaning machine.

Above screen ll-I'la is an air conduit [8 having a top plate 19 substantially parallel with said screen lllla. Said conduit has a U-shaped air intake duct 20 at the rear end of the casing. Suitable suction means (not shown) is provided at the outlet I 8b of the conduit for drawing air therethrough in the direction of the arrows [8:0 to remove light foreign matters which pass through the screen l'l-lla without causing any appreciable suction therethrough. In the bottom of the intake 20 is a slot 20a through which any screenings which the air currents do not carry off, will be directed into a conveyor 2| and discharged.

In the modification in Fig. 3 a second throwout pocket B is provided, disposed just below the inlet 2a, said pocket being formed by an upper extended portion Me of the lower screen l4 and by a fixed plate 2% below the hopper wall 28a, the upper portion 283: of which is removable when the feed belt 21 is used. The stock introduced through hopper 28 (or by feed belt 2'!) falls directly into the path of the beater pins 9 and is immediately struck and opened up by such pins and thrown against screen 14a, and the stock is thus initially opened and freed of extraneous matter by the impact. The wool is then picked up by the pins 9 and carried around the screens I423--ill1a, and then thrown into the throw-out pocket A. With this arrangement much heavy dirt, etc. is loosened at the first impact against screen Ma and the dirt, etc. passes out through screens as the stock makes its first revolution around the screening chamber. By thus removing heavy dirt so quickly less weight remains to be carried around by the stock or beater, resulting in a more rapid cleaning and in a saving of beater driving power.

When a plurality of throw-out pockets A, B, are used the stock is thrown outwardly against the impact plates a plurality of times during each revolution of the stock, thus ensuring a more rapid opening and cleaning action. If desired additional throw-out pockets may be provided, and the location of such pockets with respect to the periphery of the screens may be varied.

It is desirable to vary the treatment of batches of stock according to the quality of the stock and the amount of impurities therein, and for this purpose we preferably employ means for controlling the stock feed and discharge independently of the means for rotating the beater such as disclosed in our aforesaid divisional application.

As indicated in Fig. 1, the beater may be rotated by belt 29 driven by pulley 30a on a suitable driver, such as an electric motor (not shown), said belt running over pulley 6a on shaft 6 of the beater. The feed conveyor belt 21, when such is used, may be intermittently driven by a belt or chain I, running over a pulley or sprocket on conveyor shaft 21a and over a pulley or sprocket on a stub shaft 56 journaled at the side of the duster, which shaft carries a gear 50 driven by intermediate gears 4948 from a gear segment 41 as set forth in said divisional application.

Preferably the beater is rotated constantly but the length of time between the feeding and discharging operations may be varied as set forth in our divisional application to suit the particular stock being treated, whereby the stock may be subjected to the beating operation for longer or shorter periods without varying the speed of rotation of the beater.

In operation, the feed belt 21, driven intermittently, delivers stock through inlet 2a to the beater in the screening chamber. As the spiders and bars which hold the pins 1 are enclosed by the cylinder 5 no air currents are set up inside of the screens by fan action of the spiders and bars. It is essential to reduce these air currents to a minimum as they contribute to the knotting and rolling of the stock. The beater studs or pins 9 move the stock at high velocity around the screening chamber in the direction of the arrows Set, for a predetermined length of time, after which the discharge gate 23 is opened, and the stock thrown out. While the stock is being cleaned it is moved at great speed over screens I4, 23, l'I-l'la which allow dirt, congealed grease and vegetable matter, and other extraneous foreign matters to pass therethrough, and such screenings are picked up by the air currents in conduits l5 and I8 and carried away by suction.

As the stock is being carried around the beater by pins 9 it is thrown clear of the pins into the throw-out pocket A and against the impact plate 25, which is adjustable as to angle of impact. The angle of impact must be such as will return the stock back into the path of the rapidly rotating pins 9 without knotting or rolling. When thrown against plate 25 the stock is opened and freed by impact of foreign matter, the impact momentarily stopping the stock in its movement within the duster.

From the throw-out pocket A the stock drops again into the path of the pins 9, and as the stock has been momentarily stopped, the pins strike it with their full velocity and further beat and open the stock; and the stock again passes over the screens where further removal of freshly loosened dirt and other foreign matter is effected. The cycle of screening and throwing out of the stock is continuously repeated while the stock is in the screening chamber.

We claim:

1. In a machine of the character specified; a rotary beater, a screen chamber enclosing the beater having a feed inlet, a discharge outlet, and. a throw-out pocket having a wall contiguous to the screen disposed substantially tangentially to the beater, and another wall forming an impact plate.

2. In a machine as set forth in claim 1; an air conduit beside and exterior to the screen chamber, and means for moving air through said conduit to remove the screenings.

3. In a machine of the character specified; a rotary beater, a screen chamber enclosing the beater having a feed inlet, a discharge outlet, and a throw-out pocket having a wall in the screen disposed substantially tangentially to the beater; and another wall forming an impact plate in the pocket against which the stock is thrown by the beater.

4. In a machine as set forth in claim 3; an air conduit adjacent and exterior to the screen chamber; and means for moving air through said conduit to remove the screenings.

5. In a machine of the character specified; a rotary beater provided with projecting pins, screen sections forming a screening chamber enclosing the beater, a throw-out pocket having a wall contiguous to the screen disposed substantially tangentially of the heater and another wall forming an impact plate; and means for introducing stock into said screening chamber.

6. In a machine of the character specified; a rotary beater provided with projecting pins on its periphery, arcuate screen sections forming the wall of the chamber enclosing the beater, a feed inlet to the screening chamber, an outlet from said chamber, and a door for closing the outlet having an outer imperforate wall and an inner screen section spaced from the outer wall and forming part of the screening chamber wall when the door is closed.

7. In a machine of the character specified; a rotary beater; a screen chamber enclosing the beater having a feed inlet and a discharge outlet; and a throw-out pocket in the chamber above the beater having one side disposed tangentially to the beater and forming an impact wall substantially at right angles to the path of the material thrown off by the beater against which the material is thrown by the beater, the material being stopped by impact with said wall and then dropping by gravity onto the beater.

8. In a machine of the character specified, a

rotary beater provided with projecting pins; opposed arcuate screen sections forming a screening chamber enclosing the beater and having a feed inlet and an outlet; a throw-out pocket in the screening chamber above the beater having an adjustable impact wall disposed tangentially of the beater and. substantially at right angles to the path of the material thrown off by the heater and against which the material is thrown by the beater, the material being stopped by impact with said wall and then dropping by gravity onto the beater.

RUSSELL L. BROWN. LEWIS J WALTERS. EDWARD M. BRICKETT. SPENCER A. COLEMAN. 

